Transcript of chat with Frank De Winne

Here is the transcript of the live webchat with Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne, which was hosted on 12 September 2002. Questions to Frank were posted in Dutch, English and French, and were left in their original language.

Tourist: What kinds of experiments will you be performing during the flight?Frank De Winne: we have 23 experiments in different domains - you can read all about it on the esa website (http://www.esa.int/odissea )

Hannah: What experiment are you most looking forward to carrying out?Frank De Winne: MSG and medical experiments.

spacefreak: Hello frank! what will it be, that you might most miss here on the earth? And how do you think, will spaceflight develope, let's say in the next few decades?Frank De Winne: I will not miss a lot since it is a short flight and we need to explore our solar system further.

UNDrsvp: Do you see this as sign of stonger cooperation between ESA and the Russian space program?Frank De Winne: Yes I do.

Veel succes!: Do you look forward to the Columbus Lab? Now to be launched earlier...?Frank De Winne: Yes we all look forward to the Columbus launch.

peanutbutter: Frank, will you be able to speak to your family? Or see via video?Frank De Winne: Yes everyday i will speak to my family.

snoow: I wish I could share one look at earth from the ISS myself... I really think that watching our vulnerable planet from above makes you think about environmental pollution or reginal conflicts in another way..is it true that many astronauts are also fighting for a sustainable development, as well as for peace-politics?Frank De Winne: Yes that's true.

Veel succes!: Has spaceflight been a dream since childhood?Frank De Winne: Since I have seen the first launch of Columbia.

UNDrsvp: From what you have seen, do you forsee future integration or competition from the emerging Chinese space program?Frank De Winne: My personal wish is that we can further integrate all space programmes.

Tyrkisk Peber: Have you decided your "menu" for your mission yet?Frank De Winne: There is a buffet now in the ISS.

oroskop: frank, do you have some cleaning jobs on board? Dirk had in shuttle Atlantis.Frank De Winne: No, the main crew is taking care of that.

Darth Saul: Veel succes mentioned Russians losing two Soyuz crews, and of course we all remember the Challenger and SRB's. Frank, what is your opinion, which is more safer vehicle, STS or Soyuz? To me it seems the shuttle has greater risks during launch, but Soyuz is riskier during re-entry and landing.Frank De Winne: You are correct

oroskop: There's still heavy metal music on board of the iss?Frank De Winne: I dont know about heavy metal

baptiste: frank, do you intend to visit the ESA centers ESTEC/ESOC to share your experience after flight?Frank De Winne: Yes I will visit the ESA centres

Veel succes!: No fear of getting space sick? or are pilots used to it all? No space sickness?Frank De Winne: A little bit, but there is not a lot to do about it, everybody has some degree of space sickness

Darth Saul: Frank, this is tough one: in your opinion, what is the most important reason for mankind to perform manned space flights?Frank De Winne: The most important thing is to explore and to learn more about the Universe and about ourselves.

carol: Did you take extensive training in astronomy and star navigation?Frank De Winne: No this is not necessary anymore, we now use GPS.

Starsailor: Do you have any plans for when you get back home?Frank De Winne: Continue to work in the space environment

ApolloXIII: Frank, I don't know if you saw my question: I was wondering if up there it was 100% intensive work and sleep or you had official "spare time" to dream about Earth and Space. My concern here is that it is the dream of many of us to see Earth from there, so I was thinking that dreaming stuff would take an official part in the mission "specifications". No ?Frank De Winne: There is official spare time

carol: flying to space must be the dream of your life. What are your other dreams?Frank De Winne: My other dream is to live a happy life

Inge: Lijken de sterren groter in de ruimte? Of is dat hetzelfdeFrank De Winne: De sterren lijken even groot in de ruimte

Darth Saul: Frank, Europeans have no choise but to use American or Russian and Chinese in the future? launch vehicle to go to space. Do you think Europe should have its own manned launch vehicle?Frank De Winne: yes i think so

Frank De Winne:I would like to thank everyone for joining the chat today, and asking these nice questions! I hope Ive been of some help answering them, and I hope we can do this again after my flight so I can share my experiences with you all!